Luke 20:3
in Luke 20“I will also ask you a question,” Jesus replied. “Tell Me:
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And he answered and said unto them, I also will ask you a question; and tell me:
KJV
And he answered and said unto them, I will also ask you one thing; and answer me:
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This verse in Luke 20
Commentary
11 notes on this verseFor that He might show that they had always rebelled against the Holy Spirit, and that besides Isaiah, whom they remembered not, they had refused to believe John whom they had lately seen; He now in his turn puts the question to them, proving that if so great a Prophet as John who was accounted greatest among them had been disbelieved when he testified of Him, they would in no wise believe Him, answering by what authority He did this.
This site's exposition
will also ask you a question
on Luke 20:3-4
Jesus replies, I will also ask you a question, and puts John’s baptism to them: was it from heaven, or from men. The counter-question stays on the issue of authority, for John’s ministry and His own stand or fall together as one work of God.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
The Jews, accusing the Lord, said: "By what power do you do these things? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly." They sought a cause, not faith; whence they might lay traps, not whence they might be freed. Indeed, he who saw their hearts, observe what he answered to confound them through the lamp. "I also will ask you one question," he says: "Tell me, the baptism of John, was it from heaven or from men?" They were immediately struck, and though the day shone faintly, they were compelled to grope, as they could not look upon that brightness, they fled to the darkness of their own hearts, and there began to be troubled among themselves, stumbling and falling. "If we say," they thought among themselves, where they reasoned, but which he saw: "If we say, from heaven, he will say to us, 'Why then did you not believe him?' For he had borne testimony to Christ the Lord. But if we say, from men, the people will stone us, for John was held as a great prophet." And they said, "We do not know." You do not know; you are in darkness, you lose the light. For how much better if perhaps there is darkness in the human heart, to admit the light, not to lose it. When they said, "We do not know," the Lord said, "Neither do I tell you by what power I do these things. For I know with what heart you said, 'We do not know,' not wanting to be taught, but fearing to confess."
A commentator
Ephrem the SyrianCOMMENTARY ON TATIAN'S DIATESSARON 16.17 · Written before 373.
proposed
While he was teaching the crowds and evangelizing them, the chief priests and the scribes came and said to him, "By what power are you doing this?" If it were a question of his teaching, how could they have called it a work? It is …
The Medieval Church3 voices
Second, as to the sagacity of Christ in resisting, it is added: But Jesus answering said to them: I also will ask you one word. When he should have responded, he asked a question—not because he did not know, but because they are better bound …
But answering, he said to them, "I will also ask you one thing. Answer me. Was the baptism of John from heaven or from men?" The Lord could have confuted the slander of the tempters with an open answer, but prudently he asks so that …
However, in order to expose them for their constant resistance to the Holy Spirit and for their unwillingness to believe not only the ancient prophet Isaiah, who had perhaps been forgotten by them, but also John, who had appeared so recently and was almost immaterial …
4 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church1 voice
Now our Lord by a simple answer might have refuted such a calumny; but He wisely asks a question, that by their silence or their words they might condemn themselves. And he answered and said unto them, I also will ask, &c.
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
And he answered and said unto them,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
J.C. Ryle1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Luke (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1858)
The spirit which prompted this demand is too evident to be mistaken. These men hated and envied Christ. They saw His influence increasing. They saw their own power waning. They resolved, if possible, to stop the progress of this new teacher; and the point on which they made their assault was His authority . They ought to have examined His mighty works. His teaching they ought, in all fairness, to have compared with their own Scriptures. But they refused to take either one course or the other. They preferred to call His authority into question.
A commentator
J.C. Ryle1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Luke (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1858)
proposed
The spirit which prompted this demand is too evident to be mistaken. These men hated and envied Christ. They saw His influence increasing. They saw their own power waning. They resolved, if possible, to stop the progress of this new teacher; and the point on which they made their assault was His authority . They ought to have examined His mighty works. His teaching they ought, in all fairness, to have compared with their own Scriptures. But they refused to take either one course or the other. They preferred to call His authority into question. Every true-hearted Christian who tries to do good in the world, must make up his mind to be treated like his Master. He must never be surprised to find that the self-righteous and the worldly-minded dislike His ways. The lawfulness of his proceedings will be constantly called in question. He will be regarded as meddlesome, disorderly, self-conceited, a pestilent fellow, and a troubler of Israel. (Acts 24:5; 1 Kings 18:17.) Scripture-readers, district-visitors, lay-agents, and unordained missionaries — are specially liable to meet with such treatment. And worst of all, they will often meet with enemies, where they ought to find friends. Let all who are attacked by the world for trying to do good, take comfort in the thought that they are only drinking of the bitter cup which Christ drank. Their Master in Heaven sympathizes with them. Let them work on patiently, and believe that, if they are faithful, their work will speak for itself. The world's opposition is sure to attend every really good work. If the servants of Christ are to cease from every movement which the world calls in question — they will soon come to an entire stand-still. If we are to wait until the world approves our plans, and is satisfied with the propriety of our efforts — we shall never do anything on earth.
The words behind it
12 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ἀποκριθεὶς | apokritheis | Answering | G611 → | 231 times |
| δὲ | de | now | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| εἶπεν | eipen | He said | G2036 → | 925 times |
| πρὸς | pros | to | G4314 → | 700 times |
| αὐτούς· | autous | them; | G846 → | 5565 times |
| ἐρωτήσω | eroteso | Will ask | G2065 → | 62 times |
| ὑμᾶς | humas | you | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| κἀγὼ | kago | I myself also | G1473 →G2532 → | 839 times |
| λόγον, | logon | thing, | G3056 → | 329 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| εἴπατέ | eipate | do tell | G2036 → | 925 times |
| μοι· | moi | Me: | G3165 → | 1936 times |
ἈποκριθεὶςAnswering
apokritheisG611 →231 times
δὲnow
deG1161 →2765 times
εἶπενHe said
eipenG2036 →925 times
πρὸςto
prosG4314 →700 times
αὐτούς·them;
autousG846 →5565 times
ἐρωτήσωWill ask
erotesoG2065 →62 times
ὑμᾶςyou
humasG4771 →2973 times
κἀγὼI myself also
λόγον,thing,
logonG3056 →329 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
εἴπατέdo tell
eipateG2036 →925 times
μοι·Me:
moiG3165 →1936 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
7 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Colossians 4:6Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.
it leads to
- Ephesians 4:29
Let no unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building up the one in need and bringing grace to those who listen.
- 1 Peter 3:15
But in your hearts sanctify Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give a defense to everyone who asks you the reason for the hope that is in you. But respond with gentleness and…
- Ecclesiastes 10:12
The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious, but the lips of a fool consume him.
- Mark 9:50
Salt is good, but if the salt loses its saltiness, with what will you season it? Have salt among yourselves, and be at peace with one another.”
- Proverbs 15:4
A soothing tongue is a tree of life, but a perverse tongue crushes the spirit.
- Ephesians 4:29
Through
Luke 22:68And if I ask you a question, you will not answer.
it leads to
- Luke 20:41–44
Then Jesus declared, “How can it be said that the Christ is the Son of David?
- Luke 20:3–7
“I will also ask you a question,” Jesus replied. “Tell Me:
- Luke 20:41–44
Where this verse is studied
About Luke
This page draws on 11 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Augustine of Hippo, SERMON 293.4; Bede, On the Gospel of Luke; Bede, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Bonaventure, Commentary on Luke, Chapter 20; Ephrem the Syrian, COMMENTARY ON TATIAN'S DIATESSARON 16.17; J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Luke (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Theophylact of Ohrid, Catena Aurea by Aquinas and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Luke.